ill often arouse and poignantly concentrate an
old emotion, which has been almost forgotten throughout the other
months of the year. The arrival of Spurling, and the agony which he
had suffered when he had begun to suspect that the woman whom he loved
was dead, had happened when the snow was on the ground; perhaps it was
the sight of the frozen river and the white landscape which now caused
him to remember so furiously the vengeance which he had planned,
should Mordaunt prove to be the woman whom Spurling had murdered. So,
for the time being, the seeking of El Dorado and preserving of his own
life seemed paltry objects when compared with the asking of that
question, and the exacting, if need be, of the necessary revenge.

On the third day after the recovery of his senses he could endure his
suspicions no longer. Peggy had gone out for a little while; Eyelids
was busy in the store; only the Man with the Dead Soul was left with
him in the shack. Seizing his opportunity, he got up and dressed. He
was so weak that at first he could scarcely stand. Tottering toward
the door, he already had his hand upon the latch when Beorn arose and
followed him. Though Granger had asked him no question, "I will show
you," he said.

Outside they met Peggy returning; but her father waved her sternly
aside, and, putting his arms about Granger to support him, guided him
to the back of Bachelors' Hall. A stoutly built cabin was there, which
stood by itself and was windowless, the door of which was iron-bound
and padlocked; it was used as a cell in which Indians and half-breeds
were kept, should they grow refractory. Producing the key, he opened
the door; as they entered they were greeted with a volley of curses.

In the farthest corner lay a man, crouched on a bed of mouldy furs.
The cell was not often used, and was covered with decaying
fungus-growth from the dampness of the past summer. When Granger tried
to speak to him, his voice was drowned by the sort of noise that a dog
makes when it comes out from its kennel; then he saw that Spurling was
chained low down to the floor by his hands and feet, so that he could
not stand upright. With an hysteric cry of gladness he ran forward,
and was only saved from Spurling's teeth, as he bent back his head, by
Beorn, who pushed him to one side so heavily that he fell to the
ground. Then Eyelids came in, and picked him up and carried him back
to the shack.

For the next few days he had plenty of leis